Emma
by accursedone17
Summary: They had lost her long ago. They thought she was gone. But she lived on. She survived. And now, they have found each other. And they will never let her go.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Emma

**Gift from Above, Thank You God**

_Sent straight from heaven up above_

_Came an angel for me to love_

_To hold and rock and kiss good night_

_To wrap my arms around real tight…_

- _Shirley J. Stankiewicz_

Inside a cabin in the middle of a village, a relatively young woman screamed in pain and clutched the hand of her midwife so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She was giving birth, and having given it several times had not eased the pains that seized her now.

"Calm, Esther! Calm!" Ayana urged her friend from beside her bed, where she sat reclined on to blankets, breathing heavily as the contractions that had caused her to scream receded slowly. The young woman, with her long blond hair and piercing blue eyes, just grimaced and howled again as pain washed over her.

"Ayana." Esther's husband spoke up quietly from the door of the room. Esther seemed not to notice her husband standing there as she concentrated on the soothing words of her midwife, and Ayana quickly made her way over to the man who towered over her. He seemed to be nervous, but she feigned not taking notice. She squared her shoulders. She would not show concern for him. "Mikael."

"Is the baby healthy?" he questioned her brusquely.

"Of course. It will be coming soon enough." Ayana replied. Mikael let out a sigh of relief and nodded, letting the woman return to her dear friend's side before leaving the room himself. After a few seconds, Esther let out another scream and doubled over, cursing every single deity known to her and Mikael's religion. Ayana could not help but smile at Esther's vulgarity. It was rare for women to curse in public, but Esther had never quite had that restraint that her mother and sisters had.

The baby came just then, so quickly that the midwife barely had time to react. Another scream pierced the air, but this time it came from the throat of the newborn child, covered in blood but alive. Ayana and Esther laughed together, the latter much more tiredly than the other, but still laughing all the same. The cord was cut quickly. Esther laid back into her bed and watched eagerly as the midwife cleaned the baby off in a stone tub, checking for any signs of deformation, before handing the baby to its mother.

"She looks just like you." Ayana stated warmly. It was true. The tiny baby girl staring up at her mother had a small patch of blond hair on her head and bright blue eyes. Esther just smiled down at her newborn daughter and played with her nose affectionately. The child made a gurgling noise and the three women smiled at the sight of a healthy, lively child having been delivered.

"What is her name?" the midwife asked curiously, and Esther looked up with a radiant smile, cradling her new baby in her arms.

"Emma."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Big Brother

**You Are My Best Friend**

_You are my guiding star_

_You are my shining light_

_You are my everything_

_What helps me through the night._

- _Tara J. Barker_

"Mother, why does the baby cry so often?" the tall, skinny boy with curly brown hair, aged only ten, questioned his mother as she methodically washed clothes in a tub of water behind their cabin, while he whittled away at a thick piece of wood. His little sister was tucked safely away in her crib in his parents' room, but he was simply preparing himself for when she began to cry again. Every time she cried, his mother put down everything she was doing and went to go calm her daughter, who was only half a year old. It had been exciting at first, but now it was just tiring.

"Every child cries, Niklaus. It is a part of growing up. Every one of your siblings cried when they were young, even you." Esther chuckled and her son just scowled, taking a large chunk of wood out of his stick with his knife.

And as if on cue, a high-pitched wail hit both mother and son's ears. Niklaus groaned in frustration and shot a glance at his mother, who clucked her tongue at him in disapproval. She stood up to move into the house once again, but something stopped her. A tiny, pained gasp escaped her lips and caught her son's attention. He was by her side in a second.

"Mother, what is it?" he asked, suddenly terrified as his mother turned pale white.

"It is nothing, Niklaus. I am simply not feeling well, and I will see Ayana about it later. Would you mind…"she coughed harshly "…going to your sister? Please, Niklaus." Esther used the word 'please' the second she was certain she saw tentativeness on her eldest son's face.

"Of course." He assured his mother, helped her sit back down, then made his way into the house. The baby was still crying, even more loudly now, and it did not take long for Niklaus to locate her in his parents' room.

Emma, that was what they called her, was wailing as she flailed around in the crib Ayana had constructed for her. Her face was red from using up her lungs so much, and Niklaus suspected that if she did not stop soon she would pass out. And then his mother would blame him. Sighing with regret, he approached the wooden structure and reached down to carefully remove his youngest sibling from her bed. She still cried as he picked her up and held her just like Mother had shown him. Her blond hair and blue eyes reminded her so much of Rebekah when she was young, but then again, Rebekah had been _much_ quieter than Emma.

"What is wrong with you? Why will you not stop this?" Niklaus asked Emma, knowing full well that she couldn't respond to or possibly even understand his words. However, as he continued to talk to her and bounce her quietly in his arms, Emma's cries slowly died down into hiccups. Soon, the only thing that could be heard in the large cabin was his low voice and her quiet, unintelligible murmurs and occasional giggles.

Niklaus was surprised. None of his other siblings had reacted in this way to him before, not even Elijah, who had been the most restless of them all until Emma came along. All of them had only responded to either their mother or Elijah in such a manner. When he had tried, the problem had only worsened and he had been sent outside to keep himself occupied. He had always despised Elijah for gaining the majority of the love from their younger siblings. Hi father had always praised the younger brother, and Niklaus felt his envy towards Elijah growing every day he saw Rebekah and the others turn away from him. Now, it seemed that he had found the one sibling who had taken a liking to him.

The baby girl gurgled happily and touched his face with one of her small hands. Smiling, he did the same to her, eliciting another gurgle. It felt different to have such this sort of connection with her, when all he had ever felt with the rest of his family was distant love and faint interest. Now, he had someone, who was connected to him as deeply as one could be with another at his age. Their eyes met, blue to blue, and Niklaus smiled brightly.

He had a little sister.

_His_ little sister.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, sorry about the delay. Thank you all for reading. Chapter 4 is already being planned!**

Chapter 3

**She Is Mine**

_She walks around with confidence_

_A little girl, she is only nine_

_People ask, Is she your sister?_

_And I reply proudly, Yes, she is mine,_

- _Kara N. Deigert_

"Stop it! Stop! Give it back!" She was only nine and the other children in the village were teasing her, having cornered her behind the communal stables, where nobody could help her. She felt her face grow red and tears begin to form in the corner of her eyes as she watched them rip the necklace Elijah made for her from her neck.

"And how are you going to stop us, Mikaelson? Going to run to your father? _Again?_" the eldest of the brutes, a boy named Matthias, sneered at her and fingered the beautiful green stone that Elijah had found to make the necklace.

Emma found herself at a loss for words and unable to move, and the unyielding feeling of fear growing ever larger in her stomach. She was too small to go up against Matthias or the others, who were all maturing very quickly in comparison. But Elijah had spent so long making that necklace for her, and she knew he would be devastated if something happened to it. But fighting to get it back would mean making her father angry once again. He was always so strict about what boys and girls should do, and fighting was not allowed for the latter.

But this was Elijah. Sweet, loving Elijah, who always made her feel better. Who always kept an eye on her and Niklaus when they were searching for stones by the river. Who always tagged along and tried to keep her safe. She could not let him down.

Emma leapt at Matthias, determined to get her necklace back and to not see Elijah sad. However, Matthias was already there, pushing her down into the dirt. Her bare knee skinned a rock that jutted out of the ground, and Emma felt a wave of numbness wash over her when she saw the blood running down her leg. She tried to get up, but Matthias tripped her and she landed on her hands, scraping rock and drawing more blood. Tears began to well up in her eyes, but Emma forced them down, along with the cry of pain threatening to escape her.

"Aw, look at that. Poor little Mikaelson, all alone with nobody to protect her." Matthias laughed cruelly as he dangled his prize in front of his victim's face, which was barely visible through the tears clouding her eyes. Why was she so weak? Why couldn't she defend herself against Matthias, one of the smallest older boys in the village?

As her hands tightened into furious little fists, a tall shadow fell over Emma, and she turned around slowly to see two familiar persons standing over her. Only of them was concentrated on her, while the other glared with hard, cold, furious blue eyes at Matthias, who suddenly seemed to shrink back into his group of followers. Emma felt the other person pull her up to her feet and lift her up into his arms, where her wounds bled slowly into his light-coloured tunic. Worried, brown eyes scoured her from head to toe for any further injuries, but when he found, relief flooded them.

" 'Lijah." Emma mumbled, suddenly very numb from the pain, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her older brother held her back, his mind racing as he watched their brother walk slowly towards Matthias. Niklaus' eyes were dark, and Elijah could see his fists tighten so much that they were white. He turned to make sure Emma did not see the inevitable violence about to take place.

With her face buried in Elijah's smoky smelling tunic, Emma could hear the cries and groans of her tormentors as her brother proceeded to wreak havoc on the younger boys. Elijah held her head so that she could not turn to see the fight, so she simply complied until the sounds ceased and a second, familiar presence joined them.

"It is over now, Emma. They have been taken care of." Niklaus spoke gently, his nimble fingers discreetly tying the unharmed necklace back around her neck. The knot was sturdier now; nobody would be ripping it off anytime soon.

" Thanks Nik." Emma yawned. Elijah and Niklaus exchanged knowing glances over Emma's head as she finally let herself feel the pain of her hands and knees. They would have to get her to Ayanna, they knew, and make sure that the witch did not tell their mother about this incident. If she did, then before nightfall, they would be facing Mikael's wrath. Niklaus broke away first, meeting Emma's tired gaze with soft, caring eyes. Gently, he tucked a stray strand of her blond hair behind her ear, and motioned for Elijah to hand her to him. The younger of the two complied gratefully; Emma was much heavier than she looked.

As they began to make their way out to Ayanna's hut in the woods, Niklaus absently let his mind wander back to the way Matthias had looked him in the eyes before passing out. His hands clutched her dress tightly in anger, but she did not noticed, already fast asleep.

_Not my sister. _He had growled.

_Not my Emma_.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 : The One Named Alexander

**Unknown**

_Free fall down into the unknown_

_Give you my heart and relinquish my soul_

_It's best for what life shall bestow_

_So I take a big step in the unkown…_

- _Steve Escalera_

It was extremely hot that morning. Everyone had been so excited for the travelling fair coming to town at midday that she had barely had anytime to cool herself off before Esther had pushed them all out the door. Neither of their parents particularly enjoyed socializing with their fellow villagers, but their children did not share their preferences at all.

"Dear Lord, Rebekah! How can you stand to wear that in this heat?" Emma groaned in exhaustion, gesturing towards the ridiculously heavy and long dress that her older sister was wearing.

"I suppose that you are just too sensitive to the heat." Rebekah smirked down, her impressive sixteen years towering over Emma's mere thirteen in an attempt to condescend on her sister. However, Emma just rolled her eyes in disbelief and continued to follow her siblings to the village square. The path that led there was relatively shaded, but all of the Mikaelson siblings still perspired heavily in the stifling heat. Finally, they reached the square, and all thoughts of coolness left their minds when they saw the caravans that filled the wide space.

The fair came every year to their village, bringing an exciting event for everyone to look forward to. All of the people in the caravans were foreigners, brought together in that colony by the sole purpose of travelling freely around the world. They sold goods they made with their own hands, and sometimes they brought objects from other parts of the world. Exotic spices, clothes of brilliant colours, and food that nobody had ever even heard of were brought to them every year. It was simply amazing, especially in a village as secluded as theirs.

"What do you think?" Emma inquired Niklaus eagerly, as she held out a cerulean scarf made out of an oddly smooth material that a gypsy woman was showing her. It had an inlaid gold pattern that made it seem as if it were meant for someone of royal blood, but it drew her towards it with its elegantly stitched flowers. He leant against an empty barrel, having decided to accompany her after everyone had somehow managed to disappear on them. Five seconds upon arrival, and both siblings had already been alone.

"It matches your eyes. It's a very nice colour." He remarked sincerely. It was odd for Emma to hear one of her siblings actually not patronize her, for once. She was the second youngest, Henrik only two years younger than her, and she was always extremely annoyed when her elder siblings talked to her as if she were still a child, and not already out of childhood. Niklaus always treated her with respect and never hid his genuine opinions from her; he was her favourite because of that. She sent a small smile his way, turning to the gypsy woman to pay for the scarf as she reached into her sack of bronze coins.

However, Emma halted halfway through her turn, an overwhelming feeling of nausea washing over her. She clutched at her head, feeling her face suddenly flush with uncomfortably strong. Her darkening vision scared her, and she was Niklaus reach towards her through the darkness, a frightened look on his face.

_Not again._

"Miss? Miss? Can you hear me? Are you alright?" an unfamiliar voice echoed through her mind, making her flinch. Her body was so heavy that it was difficult for her to even open her eyelids. However, when she finally did, Emma was shocked to see that the person leaning over her was not Niklaus. Instead, it was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

He had dark brown hair and light brown skin, a pointed face with high, pronounced cheekbones, and bright brown eyes that left her breathless as they bored into him. He wore dark clothes, made of rough fabric, and they hung loose around him, hiding his frame. For a moment, Emma was quite confused, and was about to open her mouth to ask who he was - and where she was - when she was suddenly cut off.

"Are you alright, Miss? You had quite a fall. Do you feel ill?" he asked her, his brow creasing with worry that made her confused. Why would she feel ill? Then, Emma remembered it; she had awoken that morning feeling too hot to even move. It had only happened a few times in her short years, once when she was five, and when she was ten. Both times, she had spent the day in bed feverish and weak, worrying her entire family, especially Niklaus, Elijah and Rebekah. Finn, Kol and Henrik had never cared much for her at all. Now, it seemed that the sickness had come back, and at the worst moment possible.

"I-I am fine." Emma strained her throat to get the words out, but regretted putting in any effort as her stomach lurched and heat overwhelmed.

Something cool pressed down on her forehead, and Emma let out a sigh of relief as the heat and the churning in her stomach subsided. Looking up, she saw that the person was back. He pressed a cloth soaked in clean, cool water down on her head, making sure that it remained cool by dipping it back into a bucket he had by his side. Suddenly, Emma realized that she was not outside. She seemed to by lying down on a small bed in the corner of a dark caravan, the door shut so as to not let any cool air out. It was decorated as she would have decorated her own bedroom, but with more than that. This person had brought her to his home to help her…but where was Niklaus? Was he worried about her? Of course he would be, but consistency was not a highly favoured among her family.

"Before you ask, your ever-patient brother is waiting outside. He was very worried about you when you collapsed, and since it seems I am the only one among these people equipped to help you, he was directed here." The person sighed wearily and removed the cloth, hanging it over the edge of the bucket. Emma watched as he stood up, and made his way over to the small chest near the door.

While he had his back turned, Emma sat up, relieved when she was able to move without feeling the need to empty her stomach. She swung her legs out and touched them to the floor, hearing it creak lightly underneath her weight as she stood up. He looked up, and she felt her heart stop. The way he looked at her, in awe and in disbelief, left her slightly breathless and all the more confused. She had never felt like this before. Never.

"Do you wish to leave now? It is nearly dusk." He offered, gesturing towards the door as if it were nothing to him. But Emma could see him still looking at her, and unsure of whether to say anything, she stepped forward abruptly. The sudden crossing of the distance startled both of them, but Emma simply held out her hand. He hesitated for so long that she nearly withdrew it, but just as she was about to move, he took her hand. His was warm and calloused, like Elijah's after sparring in the yard with Nik.

"I wish to repay you for taking up your time." He blinked owlishly, nearly eliciting a laugh from her. "Honestly, there's no need for that."

"You saved my life." It seemed like the most logical argument in the world.

And it worked.

"Emma met somebody today at the fair today, Mother."

Esther turned, halting her daily preparation the vegetables and the meat for dinner as the sun dipped below the horizon. She looked from Niklaus' surprisingly calm face to Emma's face, frozen in a look of shock and fear. The two siblings stood side by side in the doorway, having let the others go in first to be alone with their mother. Nobody had questioned them about their day when they had all regrouped, but Emma did not mind. She did not like her life being intruded upon.

For several very long, drawn out minutes, Esther looked her daughter in the eyes, not speaking, just staring at her with an odd look that made Emma uncomfortable. Finally, Esther spoke, a bemused smile growing on her face.

"What is his name?"

Emma saw Niklaus grin out of the corner of her eye, and she gently elbowed him in the stomach, before replying.

"Alexander."


End file.
